Register alarming on predetermined count



(No Model.)

R. MIEHLE.

REGISTER ALARMING ON PEP-DETERMINED COUNT.

Patented May 7, 1895.

m: norms KYERS ca. PKOTO-LITHO, WASMNGYM, u. c.

' UniTjen STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT MIEI'ILE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REGISTER ALARMING ON PREDETERMINED COUNT.

FQIPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,973, dated May'7, 1895.

Application filed May 31, 1894:: Serial No. N m lf0 aZZ whom it; mayconcern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT MIEHLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of (Jock and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Counting-Registers, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact speciiication.

My invention relates to that class of registers or counters forindicating the impressions of printing presses, or the number ofoperations or movements of other forms of machinery or its parts.

One of the objects of myinvention is to provide counting registers withan improved alarm mechanism which will automatically sound when thepredetermined number is reached; and a further objectin this respect isto provide improved means for causing the alarm to repeat in the eventthe operation of the machinery to which the register is attached,continues after the alarm has been once sounded.

Another object of my invention is to simplify devices of this characterand to reduce the friction therein by reducing the number of parts andavoiding frictional contact between any of the parts excepting thosewhich are operating for the purpose of setting the next digit or cipherin the number to be registered.

lVith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofnovelty hereinafter more fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Fi ure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedapparatus, showing the casing and certain other parts in verticallongitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view lookingtoward the right in Fig. 1, the section being taken in a plane passingbetween the end of the casing and the first disk on the left. Fig. 3 isa detail view of one of the disks, hereinafter described, shown in axialsection; and Fig. 4. is a plan view of the casing and striker for thealarm.

The same signs of reference indicate the same or like parts throughoutthe several views.

The operating parts are preferably arranged in an inclosingcase 1 whichalso serves as a support for the main shaft or pintle 2 whose ends aresecured against rotation in the ends of the casing and protrudetherefrom as shown in Fig. 1. Arranged loosely on this shaft within thecasing are a number of disks 3, each of which represents the nine digitsand one cipher, and which for the sake of convenience, I will term thedigit disks. Any number of these disks may be employed, according to thecapacity of the machine desired; and they are preferably provided aroundtheir peripheries with a widened band or flange upon which the ninedigits and cipher are indicated, so that by forming openings 4 in thecasing opposite each row of digits, the progress of the registration maybe observed.

The disks 3 are independent of each other and rotate loosely upon theshaft 2, which as stated, is fixed against rotation and simply serves asa support; and each of the disks is provided with an extended hub 5which holds the disks at the proper distance asunder. On one side ofeach of the disks is a series of teeth or lugs 6, 6", 6 6, 6 which lugsare ten in number and correspond to the digits and cipher on the disk.\Vith these lugs G on the units disk engages a pawl or dog '7, whichrests upon one of the lugs while engaging with the other as shown moreclearly in Fig. 2, and which is actuated to impart to the disk anintermittent rotation equal at each stroke to the distance between thecharacters on the disk, by an arm 8 which is one arm of a bell cranklever to whose longer arm 9 may be secured or attached the moving partof the machinery whose operation it is desired to register. The arm 8 ofthis bellcrank is provided with a laterally projecting boss 8 to whichthe dog 7 is pivoted so as to vibrate in the plane of rotation of thelugs 6 while the bell-crank itself may be situated on the exterior ofthe casing and be journaled on one of the protruding ends of the pintle2 as shown in Fig. l, the boss 8 being wrapped with a spring 10 whichpresses the dog normally into engagement with the lugs 6, and the hub ofthe bell-crank lever being wrapped with a spring 11 which is secured atone end by a screw 12 to the pintle 2 and at its other end to thebell-crank so as to return the lever irrespective of the movement of themachinery, to its normal position for imparting further rotation to thedisk.

On the other side of each of the disks 3, excepting the last one of theseries, is arranged a lug 13 and arranged in each of the spaces betweenthe disks preferably at their lower sides, is a spur wheel 14 which isof sufficient width to be engaged by the lug 13 and to also engage withthe series of teeth or lugs 6 on the opposite disk, so that a completerotation of each of the disks will bring its lug 13 into engagement withone of-the spurs of the spur wheel and thus impart a partial rotation tothe opposite or next disk in the series so as to bring a higher numberor digit on the latter disk in line with the openings 4 in the casing.

The spur wheels 14 are mounted upon a counter shaft or pintle 15 whichis rigidly fixed in the ends of the casing 1, the spur wheels beingloose upon the shaft and independent of each other, so that the rotationof one cannot affect the other or produce any friction with the otherexcepting through the intermediary of the disks and their lugs.

It will be seen that by making the disks independent of the pintle 2 andproviding the independent countershaft or pintle 15 with the independentspur wheels 14 thereon, I avoid the frictional contact between all theparts excepting those which are operating to effect the adjustment ofthe next digit in the number to be registered, that is to say, the firstnine strokes of the machinery do not produce frictional contact with anyof the parts excepting the first disk of the series and the parts withwhich it immediately engages, and when the tenth or additional stroke ismade the only additional friction is that which results from theengagement with the lug 13 with the spur wheel and the spur wheel withthe series of lugs 6 on the next disk, including of course the frictionof such disk on the pintle 2.

In order that accidental movement of the disk may be avoided I providethe pintle 15 with a number of arms 16 each having a friction button 17having a rounded upper surface adapted to engage with the lugs 6, 6, 6&c., on the digit disks as the latter rotate, the arms 16 being normallysupported by springs 18 so that a slight pressure in addition to thatordinarily required for rotating the disks will be required for causingthe lugs to pass the friction buttons.

Each of the arms 16 is provided with an elongated hub 19 through whichthe pintle 15 passes and which extends between the spur wheels 14 andholds them at the proper distance asunder.

In order that the disks may be rotated independently of each other whenit is desired to turn them all back to zero or set them in any othernecessary position, I mount each of the lugs 13 so that it may bedisengaged at will from the spur wheel 14. This may be conveniently andbest accomplished-by forming each of the lugs 13 with or securing itupon a pivoted bar or lever 20 whose end protrudes through a slot 21 inthe flange of the disk so as'to be engaged by the finger of the operatorfor disengaging thelng 13 from the spur wheel, the lug 13 being heldnormally in the plane of rotation of-the spur wheel by a suitablecushion or spring 22 seated in a socket 23 in the disk and bearing underone end of the lever 20; the lever 20 being pivoted at 24 to a flattenedboss 25 formed on the side of each of the hubs 5. If desired however,the automatic disengagement of the lug '13 with the spur wheel 14 may beeffected by beveling one side of the lug 13 as shown at l3 'so that byrotating the disk backward the beveled end will come in contact with thespurs of the wheel'14 and cause the deflection of the lug 13.

The upper side of the casing 1 is preferably provided with a hingedportion open between the points 1*, 1 and being hinged on a rod 26, sothat convenient access to the interiormechanism may be had.

Arranged on the other protruding end of the pintle 2 or upon any otherconvenient part of the device is a hell or alarm 27, and located abovethis alarm is a striker 28 which is provided with an arm 29 extendinglongitudinally over the casing and being itself provided with arms 30which are hinged or pivoted on the rod 26, so that when the arm 29 israised and lowered the striker 28 will sound the alarm. The operation ofthe striker may be rendered more effective by providing it at somesuitable point with a spring for accelcrating gravity; This may be bestaccomplished by winding a coil spring 31 upon the rod 26 and securing itat one end to one of the arms 30 and at its other end to one of the cars32 through which the rod 26 passes, in the ordinary manner. The strikeris held normally aloof from the gong or hell by any one of a series ofpivoted arms or supports 33 which are journaled at their lower ends upona rod or pintle 34 mounted in suitable ears 35 of the casing. These armsor supports 33 when in their normal position rest against the casing asshown in Fig. 2, so that the lower edge of the arm 29 will rest upon theupper end of one of the arms 33; and one of these arms 33 is arrangeddirectly opposite each of the digit disks, and is provided with asuitable projection or bevel 36 which enters the casing through theopening4and is located in theline of movement of some suitableprojection carried by each of the disks so that the rotation of the diskwill bring such projection thereon into engagement with the projection36 and force the arm 33 outward from under the edge of the arm 29; thuspermitting the latter to fall and cause the striker to sound the alarm.The said projection on the disk for effecting this disengagement of thestriker may be best provided by arranging a thin strip 37 adjacent toeach of the disks and permitting its end to protrude through any oneof-a series of notches or recesses 38 formed in the edge of the flangeon each of the disks, such notches corresponding in number andarrangement with the digits and ciphers n the disks. These strips 37 arepreferably constructed of spring metal or material and their inner endsare provided with eyes 39 through which the pintle 2 passes, such innerends being held between the hubs of the disks as shown in Fig. 1. Bythis arrangement it will be seen that the elasticity of the spring strip37 will hold it in any one of the notches 38 in which it may be placedand yet it may be readily removed and adjusted in another one. The hubs19 immediately in line of travel of the protruding ends of theseprojections 37 and also in the line of travel of the protruding ends ofthe levers 20 are cut away as shown at for the purpose of allowing theseprotruding ends to pass.

In order that the alarm may not be sounded until the last digit of thepredetermined n um-- her which it is desired to register or count off,is set opposite its opening 4 in the casing, I make the arms 33 ofgraduated length as shown in Fig. 4; or in other words I arrange theends of the supports or arms 33 in a line extending at an angle to theedge of the arm 29 so that the arm 29 of the striker will rest upon oneof them at a time. Thus it will be seen that should the striker arm besupported by thelongest one of the arms 33 as shown in Fig. 4. theprojections 37 on all of the disks save the last one of the series, willpass by each of the first four arms and simply deflect them outwardwithout interfering with the support of the striker arm, each of saidfirst four arms falling back into position as soon as the projection 37has passed, if it should pass; but when the last digit of thepredetermined number to be registered has been set opposite the last oneof the openings 4t the projection 37 on that disk will be in engagementwith the projection 36 on the last arm 33, and each of the projections37 on each of the other disks will at the same time be in engagementwith each of the projections 36 on each of the other arms 33. Thus allof the arms will be held outward from under the edge of the striker arm29 and the striker will be permitted to descend upon the gong. It isunderstood of course that in the operation of my device the projections37 are always set in the notch 38 which corresponds with the digit orcipher which will be opposite the opening 4. when the predeterminednumber has been registered. This variation in the lengths of the arms 33however is only desirable when it is necessaryto register numbers inwhich all the figures save the first one are not ciphers; because it isreadily seen that should it be desired to register three hundred forinstance, and have the alarm sound when the three hundred is reached, itwould only be necessary to throw the arms 33 outward or turn themdownward on the rod 34, out of the way so that when the last digit inthe number has reached the single arm upon which the striker arm 29 issupported and which corresponds in location with such digit, it willthrow such armoutwa-rd and permit the striker to descend.

In orderthat the alarm maybe repeated in the event the first strokeshould not be heard and the machinery should continue in operationthereafter, I provide the striker arm 20 with a depending finger atwhich extends downward through any one of a number of apertures 42formed in the casing; such apertures being directly over the lugs 6, 6,(3", &c., on the disks. This finger is therefore adjustablelongitudinally of the striker arm, and such adjustability may beconveniently etfected by providing the striker arm 29 with a slot 43through which is inserted the stem of a thumb-piece 44 which is securedto the finger etl and between which and the arm 20 bears a blade spring45 forholdingthe finger against accidental movement. The finger at is ofsuch a length as to come into contact with the lugs 6, 6, 6", &c., onthe disk and it is so curved that the engagement of the lugs with itwill force it upward and consequently raise the striker, and when onelug passes it will suddenly descend, permitting the striker to sound thealarm; thus causing the alarm to repeat at each stroke of the part ofthe ma chinery to which the arm 9 is connected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a counting register, the combination with the digit disks andmeans for actuating them, of projections adapted to rotate with saiddisks, an alarm, a striker for said alarm, and independently deflectablesupports for said striker arranged to be struck by said projections forreleasing the striker, substantially as set forth. 2. In a countingregister, the combination with the digit disks and means for actuatingthem, of projections adapted to rotate with said disks, an alarm, astriker for said alarm, having an arm, and independently defiectablesupports for said striker arm arranged to be struck by said projectionsfor releasing the striker, said supports corresponding in number andarrangement with said disks and their ends being arranged in a lineextending at an angle to the edge of the striker arm, substantially asset forth.

3. In a counting register, the combination of the digit disks eachhaving a number of notches or recesses equal to the numbers representedby it, a shiftable projection or trip for each of said disks adapted tobe arranged in either of said notches or recesses, an alarm, a strikerfor sounding said alarm, and pivoted independently deflectable supportsfor said striker arranged opposite and adapted to be struck by saidprojections ortrips, substantially as set forth.

at. In a counting register, the combination with a pintle and the digitdisks thereon, each having a number of notches or recesses corre ICOspending in number and arrangement to the numbers represented by thedisks, of spring strips sleeved upon said pintle between said disks andhaving their ends seated in and protruding from said notches, an alarm,a striker for said alarm, and a number of pivoted supports for saidstriker arranged opposite and adapted to be struck by the protrudingends of said strips respectively, substantially as set forth.

5. In a counting register, the combination with the digit disks eachhaving a projection, and means for actuating said disks, of an alarm,the arm 29, a striker on said arm adapted to strike said alarm, the rod26 to which said arm 29 is pivoted, a spring acting upon said arm'29,defiectable supports for holding said arm 29 aloof and being arranged inthe line of movement of said projections on the digit disksrespectively, substantially as set forth.

6. In a counting register, the combination with the digit disks havinglugs or teeth, and means for actuating said disks, of an alarm, astriker for said alarm having a pivoted arm, a casing inclosing saiddisks and being provided with apertures registering with said lugs orteeth, an adjustable finger secured to said striker arm and adapted toprotrude through said apertures into engagement with said lugs or teeth,means for holding said striker-arm aloof, and means for releasing saidstriker arm for sounding the alarm, substantially as set forth.

7. In a counting register, the combination with the digit disks havingteeth or lugs and means for imparting movement to one of said disks, ofspur wheels mounted between and adapted to engage the teeth or lugs ofthe disk on one side, and a lug on each of a number of said disks,arranged at the other side of each of said spur wheels and adapted toengage therewith for imparting the movement of the disks to the spurwheels, said second lugs being movable out of the path of the spurs ofsaid spur wheels independently of said disks, and means for holding saidmovable lugs normally in the path of the spurs of said spur wheels,substantially as set forth.

8. In a counting register, the combination with the digit disks havingteeth or lugs thereon and means for imparting movement to one of saiddisks, of spur wheels mounted between said disks and adapted to engagewith said teeth or lugs on one side, a pivoted lever secured to each ofsaid disks and having a lug arranged to engage with each of said spurwheels on its other side, and a spring for holding said lug normally inengagement, substantially as set forth.

9. In a counting register, the combination with the digit disks havingteeth or lugs thereon and means for imparting movement to one of saiddisks, of spur wheels mounted between said disks and adapted to engagesaid teeth or lugs on one side, the said disks being provided withbroadened flanges having a notch or cavity therein, a pivoted levercarried by each of said disks and having one end protruding through saidnotch and the other end provided with a lug arranged to engage with thespur wheel adjacent to it, and a cushion for holding said lug normallyin engagement, substantially as set forth.

10. In a counting register, the combination of the digit disks havinglugs on one side thereof, a fixed pintle on which said disks aremounted, a counter shaft or pintle fixed against rotation, spur wheelsmounted on said counter shaft and engaging with said lugs, cushionedarms 16 mounted on said counter shaft between said spur wheels andhaving the friction buttons, 17 engaging with said lugs, lugs on saiddisks for imparting the- ROBERT MIEHLE.

Witnesses:

F. A. HOPKINS, EDNA B. JOHNSON.

